Engineer&#39;s alarm.



No. 849,157. 4PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

E. MGGLINTOCK.

ENGINEERS ALARM.

' APPLICATION FILED VNOV. 5, 1905.

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PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. E. MUCLINTOGK. BNGINEERS ALARM.

APPLmATIoN FILED Nov. e. 190s.

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EDWARD MCOLINTOCK, OF IIERRIAM PARK, MINNESOTA.

ENGINEERS ALARIVI.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application iilefl November 6, 1905. Serial No. 285,986.

T a/ZZ when/1, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD MoCLiNrocx, oi Merriam Park, Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engineers Alarms, of which the Jfollowing is a speciiication.

My invention relates to automatic lsignal and alarm devices; and the object I have in view is to improve the mechanism shown and described in certain pending applications for United States Letters Patent, iiled by me May 16, 1904, No. 208,178, and September 2o, 190.5, No. 279,260.

A further object is to provide means to positively prevent head or rear end collisions should the engineer fail to notice or should ignore the alarm-signal.

The invention consists generally in providing a stop device for automatically shutting oil' the steam on the locomotive and setting` the brakes whenthe alarm-circuit is closed.

Further, the invention consists in dividing the track into blocks which run zigzag or from side to side of the track, whereby the 'engineer when the alarm-circuit is closed can determine instantly the location and direction of movement of the approaching train.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinaiter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanjyn'ng drawings, forming part oi this specification, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a signal and alarm apparatus embodying my invention and illustratthe manner of connecting the alarm-circuit with the steam and air controlling valves on the locomotive. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of a track, showing my improved arrangement of the blocks therein and illustrating the position of trains running in the same direction and in the same block. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating trains approaching one another or running in opposite directions in the same block.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, I have illustrated two independent pole changing circuits, which, as in my previous applications above referred to, I will designate as A and B, one connected with the auxiliary rails on one side of the track and the other with the corresponding rails on the other side and both with the track-rails on one (in the drawings the left) side.

The circuits are substantially the same as described in my pending applications, and

detailed description will not be necessary herein, except in so far as they are modiiied to adapt them to the improved type of blocks. The main track-rails are represented by numerals 2 and 3 and the truck by numeral 4.

5 and 6 are auxiliary rails, which in this case I prefer to place between the main trackrails and parallel therewith and insulated therefrom and from each other. The auxiliary rails are divided into sections or blocks, with insulating-joints between them. The auxiliary rails 5 are connected by wires 7, 7, 7b, and 7 C with the contiguous end oi the opposite rail 6 in the adjoining block, and the rails 5 are all connected by resistance-coils 8, 8a, 8b, and 8C with the left-hand track-rails 3. The auxiliary rails 6 are connected by resistance-coils 9, 9a, 9b, and 9C with the trackrails 6. Two independent track-circuits are thus provided, as described in my pending applications; but only one side of the main track is used in each circuit.

A pole-changing device is provided for each circuit, and as it has already been described in my pending applications I will in this case indicate it by reference-numerals 10L and 10b to designate the track-circuits to which the changers belong.

The mechanism employed in the two circuits A and B is the same as shown in my pending case, Serial No. 279,260, referred to above, and it will be sufficient for the purpose of this application to indicate the white light or good-order circuit by reference-numeral 11a and the red light or alarm-circuit by reference-numeral 12a, the corresponding circuits on they other side having the same reference-numerals, with the addition of the exponent b.

13 is a turbine, and 14@L and 14Cb are generators for the different circuits.

15 is another generator in circuit with the closers 16a and 17a and with the alarm-bell 18a.

19a represents the automatic device for locking the pole-changer, 20a the telegraph- IOO key, and 21aL the telephone apparatus, all as shown and described in my pending application last referred to.

22a represents the track-circuit, having a truck 23a on the auxiliary rails 5.

With this apparatus the good-order or clear-track circuit will be normally closed and the whi te light burning to indicate to the engineer that the track is clear. In case, however, a train should enter a block where there is another train moving in the same di- ITO rection the alarm-circuits on the two locomotives will be closed, the current flowing along the rails 3 and up through the alarmcircuit apparatus on the right-hand side of the rear train and from thence along the auxiliary rail 5 to the wire 7 l and to the rail 6 on the other side of the adjoining block and from thence through the alarm apparatus on the left-hand side of the forward train to the trackfrails 3, thus completing the circuit and flashing the right-hand red light on the rear train to indicate to the engineer of that train that there is a train ahead of him in the same block and at the same time indicating to the enigneer of the forward train by flashing the leftehand red light that there is a train in the rear in the same block. But'one side of the main track will be used in the circuits, and the zigzag form of the block will cause the alarm-circuit on one side to be closed if there is a train ahead in the same block and on the other side if there is a train in the rear in the same block, and consequently the engineer can readily locate the position of the other train.

It is desirable in an apparatus of this kind to provide some means for automatically stopping the train should the engineer fail to notice or should ignore the alarm-signal. I therefore provide a solenoid 24 on the locomotive 25, connected with the right-hand alarm-,circuit 12El by wires 26 and 27. The armature 28 of the solenoid is pivotally connected with the short arm of a lever 29 on the bracket 30. A rod 3l connects the long arm of the lever 2 9 with a valve 32, which controls the admission of steam to the cylinders. An air-pipe 33 has a valve 34, connected with the solenoid 24 and adapted to be operated simultaneously with the valve 82 to release the air in the brake system and set the brakes. When, therefore, two trains approach one another Afrom opposite directions and enter the same block, the righthand alarm-.circuit of each train will be closed and thev red lights flashed.y If the engineers disregard the signal and fail to shut off the steam and put on the brakes, the solenoid 2,4; on each. train will be energized to attract its armature 2 8 and operate the steam and air-brake valves to stop the train, As soon as thek alarm-circuit is broken the armature 28 can be withdrawn, and the steam and air valves opened and the engineer allowed to start the train.

When two trains are moving in the same direction and the rear one enters a block before the forward train has left it, the right-hand alarm-circuit on the rear engine will be closed and the left-hand one on the forward engine; but as the stop device is only connected with the right-hand alarm-circuit the rear train only will be affected thereby. As soon as the forward train has passed out of the block the alarm-circuit on the rear train will be broken and it will be allowed to proceed. With this apparatus head and rear end collisions will be positively prevented. It will be impossible fortwo trains to be in the same block moving in the same or opposite directions without the engineer of each train being warned of the presence of the other train, and he will also know whether the train is ahead or in the rear and in which direction it is moving. lf the two trains are moving in the opposite direction and enter the same block, both will be instantly and automatically stopped, and if running in the same direction the rear train will be stopped until the forward one has passed on out of the block.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a track-circuit having a pole-changer, of good-order and alarm circuits` having signals, said good-or der circuit being normally closed and said alarm-circuit normally open, sources of elec trical energy for said circuits, a throttle* valve, and means connected with said alarmcircuit and arranged to be actuated when the circuit is closed to close said throttle-valve, said means acting to stop bothtrains if approaching each other and. only one train if following each other, substantially as de.- scribed.

2. The combination with a track-circuit having a pole-changer,` of good-order and alarm circuits having signals, said good-order circuit being normally closed and said alarm-circuit normally open, sources of electrical energy for said circuits, throttle and air-brake valves, and means connected with said alarm-circuit and arranged to operate said throttle and air-brake valves to stop the train when said alarm-circuit is` closed, said means acting to stop two trains if approaching each other and only one if following each other, substantially as described.

3. HThe combination with locomotive throttleevalves, of an alarm-circuit normally open and having a source of electrical ene erg and means connected with said alarmcircuit for closing a throttle-valve automatically when said alarm-circuit is closed, said means acting to stop both trains if approaching each other and only one if following each other.

4. The combination with locomotive throttle-valves and air-brake valves, of an alarm-circuit normally open, and means connected with said alarm-circuit for automatically closing a throttle-valve and operating said brake-valve to set the brakes when said alarm-circuit is closed, said means acting to stop both trains if approaching eachother and only one if followingeach other.

5. The combination with the main trackrails, of auxiliary rails divided into insulated sections or blocks, the auxiliary rail of each block on one side being in circuit with the ICO IZO

auxiliary rail on the other side of the adjoining block, resistance-coils connecting the track-rails on one side with the auxiliary rails on both sides, a track-circuit, good-order and alarm circuits, the Jformer being normally closed and the latter normally open, and sources of electrical energy for said circuits.

6. The combination with the main trackrails, of auxiliary rails divided into insulated .sections or blocks, a track-circuit, good-order and alarm circuits, the former being normally closed and the latter normally open, sources oi electrical energy for said circuits, and the auxiliary rails on one side being in circuit with the auxiliary rails of the adjoining blocks on the other side and with the track-rails on that side whereby when two trains enter the same block moving in the same direction the left-hand alarm-circuit of the forward train will be closed and the righthand alarm-circuit of the rear train will be closed to indicate to the engineer of each train the position of the other train.

7. The combination with the main trackrails, of auxiliary rails divided into insulated sections, a track-circuit, good-order and alarm circuits, the former normally closed and the latter normally open, sources of electrical energy for said circuits7 and the auxiliary rails on one side being in circuit with the auxiliary rails of the adjoining blocks on the other side and with the track-rails on that side whereby when two trains enter the same block moving in opposite directions the right-hand alarm-circuit of each train will be closed and indicate to the engineer of each train the position and direction of movement of the other train, and an automatic stop device operatively connected with the engine throttle-valve and having an operating means connected with the right-hand alarm-circuit, whereby both trains will be stopped when moving in opposite directions and the rear train will be stopped when they are moving in the same direction.

8. The combination with the main trackrails, of auxiliary rails divided into insulated sections or blocks, a track-circuit, good-order and alarm circuits having signals, the former being normally closed and the latter normally open, sources of electrical energy for said circuits, the auxiliary rails on one side being in circuit with the auxiliary rails oi' the adjoining block on the other side and with the track-rails on that side whereby, when two trains enter a block moving in the same direction, the left-hand alarm-circuit of the forward train and the right-hand alarmcircuit of the rear train will be closed and indicate to each engineer the position of the other train, and means controlling the throttle and air-brake valves and connected with the right-hand alarm-circuit of each train whereby when said circuit is closed the rear train will be automatically stopped until the forward one has passed on out of the block, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of October, 1905.

EDWARD MCCLINTOCK.

Witnesses:

M. E. SCOTT, C. MACNAMARA. 

